What is it about Japanese craft brewery lagers? Baird's Numazu Lager taste nothing like what you'd expect from a a lager. Baird is right. There is a deeper flavor here, and you could be forgiven for thinking you're drinking a pale ale. But it's not deep enough, I'm afraid. Try it once, appreciate it, then move on to something you'll appreciate more.

Avg price/liter: USD 16.80

ABV %: 5.5

Type: Lager

What is it about Japanese
craft brewery lagers? I've sampled plenty
of Japanese lagers in my lifetime. The big four
Japanese industrial breweries -- Suntory, Asahi, Kirin, and
Sapporo -- specialize in the stuff, and all of them taste
like you'd expect lagers to taste, but with a Japanese
accent.

Hitachino's
Nipponia and,
now, Baird's Numazu Lager taste nothing like what
you'd expect from a a lager. Baird describes it as
"clean, soft, and flavorful local water [combining[ with
floor-malted barley and a mix of world hops … that drinks rich and full like an Ale."
And Baird is right. There is a deeper flavor here, and
you could be forgiven for thinking you're drinking a pale
ale.

But it's not deep enough, I'm
afraid. I could tell the water was naturally
carbonated, which is a nice touch to be sure, but this
carbonation seemed to be stronger than the taste of the beer
itself.

I had high, high hopes for
Baird months before I finally got the opportunity to try any
of them, and I have no doubts Baird isn't cutting corners to
produce these products. Meanwhile, you have the four
Japanese industrial giants cutting corners left and right,
yet producing extremely favorable session beers at
economical prices. I paid a hefty premium to get my
hands on Baird.

Numazu Lager: try it once, appreciate it, then move on to
something you'll appreciate more. If you're actually in Numazu, I'd forgive you for drinking
two or three.